Student Information Systems and Learning Management Systems are in place in many schools, but they are not being used to their fullest extent by educators to inform instruction, monitor students’ progress in meeting standards and provide meaningful feedback to students. Educators need more timely, user‑friendly, data-based information, as well as professional development and training on how to effectively use data-collection and -management systems to support and enhance teaching and learning.

The Closing the Gap program, a collaborative effort among AASA (the school superintendents association), the Consortium for School Networking and Gartner Inc., was launched to help schools leverage data to improve student achievement. From this partnership, a collection of resources was developed to help educators effectively use data to strengthen teaching and learning in the classroom.

Digital Toolbox, an online repository with work samples and other practical tools developed in collaboration the K-12 educators to improve classroom instruction and student achievement.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

AASA acknowledges the help of the 16 school districts that participated in the Closing the Gap Communities of Practice. These districts worked together using the project resources, sharing results and learning from each other. Their collaborative efforts helped to identify ways in which the K-12 education community can effectively employ the project findings and tools to inform classroom instruction.

This app is designed for school superintendents, central office staff, principals, teachers, policy-makers, business and community leaders, parents and more. The app enables advocates of public education to connect, network, communicate with other members, access, and share important information directly from your devices.